Bruce Springsteen supported Harris – but Bill Murray didn't support Trump

Just weeks after Vice President Kamala Harris received the pop superstar's endorsement, rock legend Bruce Springsteen also endorsed her. In a video post on Instagram, the 75-year-old rocker – who is known simply as “The Boss” – suggested that this was “one of the most consequential elections in our country's history.”

The “Born in the USA” singer also criticized former President Donald Trump and lamented the fact that the nation is more “politically, spiritually and emotionally divided” than at any time since the American Civil War.

“It doesn’t have to be this way,” Springsteen added.

The endorsement wasn't entirely surprising, as Springsteen has long been a Democratic supporter. He previously supported Barack Obama in 2008 and provided commentary for a Joe Biden campaign ad during the 2020 US presidential election while the song “My Hometown” played in the background.

It's not clear whether Springsteen's support will make a difference in this year's close election. Given the deep political divide he warned about, it could likely cost him some fans.

“Steve Van Zandt was recently quoted as saying that Bruce's political views had cost the band many fans,” said Bruce Barber, professional in residence at the University of New Haven and general manager of radio station WNHU. “He's probably right – but for me that's what makes a true artist: the ability to speak truths in words and songs, regardless of the consequences. Springsteen's support of Kamala Harris is definitely not a surprise, but it is another example of his undying commitment to authenticity in his art and his personal life.”

What about Bill?

Just as Springsteen announced his support for Harris, another celebrity went viral on Thursday – viz What about Bob? Actor Bill Murray for his alleged support of Trump.

Internet personality Bo Loudon posted a 2016 clip of Murray “praising” some of the former president's policies and suggested, “Who needs Taylor Swift when you have BILL MURRAY?”

The clip, which has been viewed almost six million times, seemed to convince many of this Ghostbusters Star had supported Trump. However, as of Friday afternoon, Bill Murray had not commented on the issue or endorsed either candidate. Accordingly Vanity FairMurray had campaigned for the Green Party's Ralph Nader in the 2000 presidential campaign – but perhaps that was “lost in translation”.

Murray would simply be the last celebrity to see his/her endorsement of a candidate – even if it didn't happen. Such endorsements may make little difference, but given how close this race is, every single vote will matter.

“Celebrity endorsements are very important in today’s political world,” said Dr. Julianna Kirschner, lecturer at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.

“Taylor Swift’s support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz has made remarkable political, cultural and social waves. Likewise, other celebrities who support candidates can have a similar ripple effect,” Kirschner added.

Expect more false recommendations

A video clip from eight years ago is hardly confirmation, but for many it was enough to believe that Murray was a Trump supporter.

“Without corroborating evidence, the validity of the comment appears dubious at best,” Kirschner said. “News organizations verify facts from multiple sources before publishing them, which is likely the reason for the lack of coverage on this issue. All we have right now is guesswork, a premise that allows misinformation to thrive on social media.”

These false endorsements are just the latest form of misinformation we've seen in this election cycle. In this particular case, the video is just enough to make the story seem believable.

“Misinformation booms when information cannot be validated. In this case, Murray’s position is unclear,” Kirschner added. “Users may double down when presented with contrasting information. There are numerous studies that would support the likelihood of such an outcome. Given the high likelihood of users doubling down, the possibility of celebrity endorsements moving the needle would be small but not insignificant. In the tight race we are in, everything, no matter how small, makes a difference.

How should celebrities react?

The other side of this story is that Swift and Springsteen might receive some backlash from fans, but as Barber noted, the boss probably knew it was going on. In Murray's case, he could be under scrutiny for something he didn't even do.

As an A-list celebrity, this probably won't affect him; Still, we could see up-and-comers' careers being affected – perhaps running afoul of a casting director, a film producer, a publicist, etc.

“From a celebrity perspective, they should be concerned about how they are represented politically online. This can impact their reputation and potential fan support, which inevitably allows them to continue doing their work,” Kirschner continued.

And the problem could get worse. Murray may have actually made his earlier comments in an interview, but advances in deep fakes could soon put words in the mouths of celebrities – living and dead alike!

“As AI becomes more advanced, it is likely that comments, images and videos from seemingly celebrities supporting a candidate are completely false,” Kirschner warned. “As cases like Murray’s attributed comment emerge in the future, it will become increasingly difficult to distinguish fact from fiction.”